One Crazy Summer Memory and the Past

We know that memories don't really work the way real life does. They are disjointed, fuzzy, and often a little confusing, and we remember what we think happened rather than what actually went down. This is definitely Delphine's experience in One Crazy Summer. She has flashes of what her life was like before her mom left, but it isn't really strung together in some neat and tidy order that leaves her with a clear picture of life before Cecile bounced. There are huge gaps in Delphine's memory of what happened back in the day, which makes making sense of her mother only harder.

Questions About Memory and the Past

1. Check out how Delphine describes her memories. Is this similar to the way you remember things? In other words, what do you think of how memory is portrayed in this book? Pick a few passages to really dissect.
2. What is left out of Delphine's memories? What does she focus on? Are her memories reliable? How can you tell? Why does this matter?
3. Why do you think Delphine can't remember Fern's birth? Why does this bother her so much?

Chew on This

Delphine doesn't actually remember what happened in the past. Instead she pieces together what she's heard about her mother to create an imaginary figure.

Just because Delphine was young when her mom left doesn't mean that she can't remember her clearly. Her memories are vibrant, detailed, and accurate.